His Mercy
by Saint Force
Summary: "I can give you everything. The entire world will be in yours if you let me give it to you. Contract with me and it will be yours." It would be a shame for the boy to die, after all.
1. Chapter 1

Title: His Mercy

Warnings: Male/Male. OCs.

Summary: "I can give you _everything. _The entire world will be in yours if you let me give it to you. Contract with me and it will be yours." It would be a shame for the boy to die, after all.

A/N: Uh. Forgive me. _Idon'teven_ –

* * *

Approaching the enemy had been a mistake.

It was his duty, yes, to terminate or injure his opponent as much as possible. Ideally, he had been going into the situation with promise and a draw at the very least.

Hindsight was twenty-twenty, however.

A screech of talons, nearly severing his arm flew behind him. Dodging to the extent he could, and attempted to flee, sending a shock wave of energy at his opponent mid-spin. He only grazed the enemy but it distracted the fool enough to gain an advantage. He pushed on the opening, taking full advantage of the other's defenselessness – regardless of the vulnerability he also gained in this motion – with a cold determination to end this chase as quickly as possible.

Another being, demonic looking at first sight, took the brunt of the attack in an attempt to twist to the proper angle allowing him to retaliate, but seemed to be failing. A sharp spray of blood gave him a moment of satisfaction, maneuvering his arms back to make a final strike...

His target's visage suddenly wavered, his physical form disappearing from his grasp in a slew of particles and dust. He swore openly, clenching his teeth as he tried to escape his current position, because he couldn't believe he just fell for that and _any second _he would be struck and a flare of panic forced him to _move._

He barely moved out of his position by the time his back was being scorched by a beam of raw chakraand he didn't make a sound in reaction but his physical body screamed in agony as it rejected the foreign energy by nature. Three more strikes by blades fell upon him while he was temporarily immobilized.

He retaliated through the pain when his body allowed it, slashing blindly with the knowledge that there was no way he could miss, giving them both the chance to separate. A biting anger consumed him at that moment – _wounded, howdarehewoundme _– and he launched himself at the other, hands embedded with energy and threw the other (who seemed to be surprised he had not yet retreated) into a occupied structure.

A brief explosion of debris served well as a distraction, drawing attention and bringing obstacle into the enemy's path. Taking a breath as the enemy seemed trapped and occupied, pressing charged palms on the high roof he rested on, he shattered the building sending debris in every direction.

Screams of civilians from below could be heard distantly, and he swerved away through the sudden chaos with no other thought than _escape_. Because he could not win against such a high level demon. There was no possible chance of this scenario working out in his favor, and he refused to risk it. Feathered appendages assisted the leaps he made across the rooftops and to the ground, but he was stricken flightless for the moment. He had suffered too much damage to do anything, really.

He could hear it following behind him, sensing out his being – _shit, it knows where I am – _and he fled to a darker area of the village, containing the most amount of obsticles which would obstruct the other's path. He couldn't escape the enemy being able to track him down inevitably, but it could give him some time to throw down a barrier.

Stumbling down an alley of sorts, the wounds he'd received burning with every movement _– ow, – _it seemed that the other was still attempting to discover which pathway he had traveled. _It's not a tracker by nature then. _

In any other situation he would have considered that a blessing, but_ at least tracker types don't cause so much damage long range_, he lamented as he struggled to position himself against a stone wall, energy bubbling in his hands. A string of words, nothing short of prayer in his mind, and the energy in his hands released and was reformed.

Slowly the air pulsed in a spiral, and the energy condensed into a translucent layer of protection. He gave a relieved sound, shuddering as a sharp pain in his chest let itself be known. Dizzily he took a moment to collect himself, battered and bruised with wounds that would take a several hours

to heal. Grimacing as he lowered himself to the ground, he continued to chastise himself for such an amateur mistake. A shape shifter – he had been a fool to not have noticed sooner...

He waited absentmindedly, relaxing against the cool stone as he waited to see if the barrier would hold up properly. A frustrated howl in the distance made him wince at the pitch, gritting his teeth, but breathe in relief. It seemed like he had escaped it, and gave himself a moment to rest.

It seemed like an hour before he heard the noise of someone approaching this way directly, twitching at the large amount of humans being led in his vicinity. He could have ignored them if there weren't so many, and they would subconsciously avoid the barrier.. He wondered what force was drawing them here.

He had barely any energy left, he realized sullenly, and felt extremely weak with no chance to defend itself if the enemy had possessed a flock, and had a counter spell. He made no effort to move – _it would probably just make me drop the barrier –_ and resigned to his fate.

It was one shadow that ran towards the other side of the alley, a child. Terrified as if the enemy itself were at it's tail. The child – a striking blond – seemed exhausted, using sheer will to flee and slightly injured. He tilted his head to the side, seeing him more slowly than the human would see himself. Something about him...

He sensed the mass preying on the child at that moment, the scent of despair and malice heavy as they came near. Bloodlust and the notion of harm possessed them, and he frowned visibly, but merely wondered what had conspired. It was not his affair however, but –

_powerpowerpower _was singing in the child's blood, untapped and pure. More than the average adult might possess, and he could feel darkness tangible within his very energy. Unmixed, and lacking in true, distinct corruption. A rare phenomenon.

_It would be a waste for the child to die._

There was a breath, before – _**He's going to die anyway, one way or another. Why not take advantage before anyone else does?**_ – a deceptive thought ran through his mind, and dizzily he rethought this notion.

His instinct _takehimtakehimtakehim-weaknessyouareweak _choked him, and feeding into the temptation, he shifted, risking the barrier shattering – and grasped unto the child and drug him down with him inside the field. The boy struggled blindly, desperately trying to escape, and ended up agitating both of their wounds in a fit of terror and panic. He held a steel vice on the child, a hand effectively gaging him as he simply _breathed_. Slowly inhaling the layer of chakra around the child without restraint, and effectively disabling the subconscious layer of protection he had developed.

The child watched bemused as a crowd, the one that had seemed to have been following him prior, passed through the area after scanning the alleyway for his presence. The boy flinched as they looked in his direction, and as they passed, but when they did not spare him a glance he appeared mystified. It was until he recognized the presence of his captor once again, unaware of his subtle amusement at the boy, that he tried to move away from his held position. The steel vice on him refused to lessen, as the young one felt his energy being drained from him in an instant. Bemused, he tried to steal a glance at his captor while attempting wearily to break free of his grasp.

"Such an interesting pet you are. Surely you'll repay me for such favor?" He mused to the boy, silently continuing to feed.

The child collapsed weakly in his arms after a short pause, the lack of Chakra clearly taking it's toll on it's body, despite the bank of demonic energy that was trying to push itself around the wounds the child carried. The contact of such negative charkra created a slow burn in his system – though there wasn't nearly enough to be fatal. Perhaps... slightly poisonous, but he couldn't find it in himself to reject such a gift. Surely the fates had been woven in favor of his plight. Certainly.

The moon had risen against the horizon by the time the boy stirred from unconsciousness, the murmuring of festivities a quiet clatter against the child's deep breathing. By the time he gained awareness the sound was nothing more than the chirping of crickets, and his wounds were beginning to heal. He sent thanks to his lord once more for such favor.

"..Ah.. Wha..t?" The child mumbled, confusion seeping into his expression as he woke up in an unfamiliar place. Remaining in such a position, he murmured quietly, "Good Morning." which renewed that flare of panic that captivated him so. Groggily the other tried to escape but he couldn't move within the larger's grasp. Trembling, blue met gold as he looked back to his captor.

"Who... Who are you?" The child asked in an exhausted tone, sleep still clinging strongly unto his being. Blearily, the boy could see his captor's amused smile; blond locks shifting within his line of sight as the unknown figure shifted his grip on him, the position more favorable for communication.

"You can call me, Ido." He replied earnestly, with no hesitation. The response was accepted automatically, but the boy wanted more..

"What is this? Why..." Confusion bled into his words, vulnerability growing in his very core with an increasing exhaustion. Any control of the situation the boy had was torn from his grasp, but he still demanded some sort of information. Ido commended the child for such an effort, in his state. Through near Chakra exhaustion to do such – a resilient soul this one was.

Perhaps he should consider keeping this one..

"Why not?" The boy spared him a sleepy glance.

"It works out well for the both of this way – do you not agree?" He paused, configuring a sense of reasoning.

"Those people that were chasing you can't find you, and because you're with me, I can continue to keep it that way. For the both of us." Ido relayed this, noting the boy seemed to be accepting the notion with ease. Uncaring and bemused at the notion of being protected. He was still terrified of his captor, and extremely wary, but was becoming difficult to find arguing an appealing option due to a sudden heavy fatigue. The child himself moved slightly in his grasp, seeking comfort – though wary of disturbing the other's positioning all the same – wondered aloud, "Were people chasing you too?"

The boy could feel a the tug of smile press on his skin, and amused (though not sounding it) he responded, "Something like that, yes."

The child made a sound of acknowledgement but didn't reply, exhaustion lulling him back to sleep, despite their location – though was stopped when the other shifted again. He was closer now.

"You wouldn't mind letting me stay with you for a while, hm?" Warm breath whispered against sensitive ears making him shiver, stirring him from the lure of sleep if slightly.

The child murmured something unintelligible before the burn of pain swallowed him whole. The abyss had never been more terrifying.

_...Naruto, is it? _

Stiffly he awoke, jolting from sleep at the leering echo of a voice. His body was aching, he noted in daze, and everything was dark. The place he resided in was different from where he was before, a familiar structure beneath him. Naruto felt worn and bruised underneath his waking conciousness.

Was that... (Memories – the color of gold and a vice of steel,) _only a dream?_

Something was still off.

He concentrated in a partially wakeful state.

A sound from his left; a movement and he stilled almost instantly.

Naruto dared not move, _someone was here_, although he couldn't see the other person within his peripheral vision. He was irritated by that, if not horrified subsequently. _He should've been moving. He could be dead by now if one of the villagers –_

With that threat alone beneath his head (_they were just waiting for him to wake up, weren't they?) _he pretended to shift in his sleep. Moving hurt though, wincing a bit as he did though – and noticing the feeling of soft silk beneath his hands as he did, the pressure of a weight along his thigh, and the fearsome sensation of being watched.

There was an amused huff from his side, and he willed himself not to jump at the sudden sound. His heart pounded, adrenaline to get out of this situation hummed steadily through his veins – and he wasn't sure if to make a move or not. Should he try to escape?

"If it pleases you to sleep longer, then don't mind me." A familiar voice warped him from prior thoughts, a smooth baritone echoing near him; startling him further.

His eyes shot open, abyss giving way to shadowed white as he franticly looked in his preferable vision for the source of the sound. Only the glittering moonlight lit the darkness, and there was a chuckle to his right – and then the voice came again, tempting.

"If not – then.."

Ice was brought to his face in the form of skin, and he tried to move away – his instincts screaming to flee as the spell of sleep and the unmoving world was broken, but the weight resting on his body moved and pinned him down as cascades of gold fell near his face. A figure, earlier missed, within his sights.

His eyes were immediately captured by pools of gold, enticing beyond anything he had ever experienced.

"_Contract with me."_

He was struck frozen in a locked battle between his body and frayed mental state. At a loss, questions passed through his mind unheeded. He hadn't realized he could speak until the words had already passed through his mouth, such a feature long forgotten in the cold grip of fear.

"..What are you..." The sentence was fragmented, and he was at a loss of breath. The words conveyed his bewilderment, the inability to process the events evident in his tone.

His mind felt sluggish and loose; reality felt out of his grasp.

The frigid limb moved from his cheeks, trailing down to his neck and covering _every inch _of his skin. He shuddered under the touch, unnatural, his skin crawled and it left a slow burn as it trailed. He tried to move away, reangling his head, but he was still pinned by a heavy force. He shut his eyes away from the blurred image of his assaulter on the edge of his peripheral vision, and tried to speak again – but his throat was dry and no words could be formed.

And then he felt a soft breath on his skin, and the sudden drain on his energy. A sudden wave of physical exhaustion fell over the child, though the burn seemed to be keeping him awake, his limbs felt heavier with each breath that seemed to be also shifting in location.

The was a soothing murmur against his collar bone, "Your Chakra is truly profound..."

His eyes reopened to stare at the one speaking, a pleased tone emitting from his side. He tried to adjust his view, but it was a fruitless attempt. He body refused to respond.

A part of him became terrified.

His mind refused to follow it's frantic state, as he allowed the lulling voice to wash over him, unable to escape of refute in any form.

He felt a small weight fall from his body as a hand ran through his hair, fondly. Long nails skimmed over his scalp – and a thought passed him, _this really isn't that bad..._

The burn was beginning to retreat into a light aching of bruises. He felt heavy, and everything was soft and maybe if he just shut his eyes then this nightmare would go away –

"If you submit, you will die."

The voice warned, the calming gesture turned violent as a sharp pain ran through his scalp. He made a cry of pain at the sudden shock, the warm and wet feel of blood seeping from the stinging trails. His breath was shuddering, short and he threw himself back. The weight that had been burdening him simply shifted with his movement instead of simply keeping him pinned with more force.

He met the face of the man that had saved him from the villagers. That _nice _man, named Ido that had been being chased at the same time as Naruto.

There was a sting of betrayal through his thoughts, the solidity of having his suspicions confirmed.

Curious eyes and robes of white glared at his senses, an ethereal vision laid before him only slightly distorted by the red stain upon his hands.

"You..." There was a note of realization in his voice, or perhaps something else that caused the other to give an amused look. Such a reaction invoked rage and hurt from the younger – he had thought...

"They've been hurting you."

He couldn't process the information quickly enough, watching the words escape the mouth of his assaulter for the first time as he gave an empathetic gaze.

"A gem like you, among a sea of sedentary rocks... they've been outcasting you..."

The pain of the wound was still running through his system, and he flinched when the older blond brought an appreciative hand to his face. The touch was gentle and without burn this time, simply soft.

"It has been fate that has made our path's cross," he cupped his cheek, forcing his gaze to meet an enticing gaze.

"I would be honored to stay with you, if you would allow me too. To raise you to the height of your potential..." He paused seeming thoughtful, before continuing.

"To keep a being as interesting as you alive."

The boy swallowed, uncertain of how to react.

The hand was withdrawn, but he was caught in an intense gaze.

"This life is unsatisfactory for you; is it not?"

He managed to blink, to breathe, before he felt something prompting him to respond – to which he nodded affirmative in a moment of honesty.

Those eyes flashed a painful expression, something that left him curious, but he couldn't ponder on it as the other began to speak again.

"You don't trust me, however... You fear... But let me –..." There was a physical weight on his head, and a hand resting on his chest. There was a breath, a sense of unease and foreboding as the boy flinched at the contact. And the world turned vibrant and blinding and twisted into vagrant images flashing madly before his eyes.

Ethereal images passed in the blink of an eye, the messages changing into receptions of power and sweet corruption – images of his own fate swimming across his mind's eye.

There was a burning feeling again, the waking world slipping as the vision meaning faded into obscure reality with simply _toomuch _information falling through his his grip like sand. Everything seemed to collapse at that one moment, and he nearly fell into the gaping, bleeding abyss, until –

"I can give you _everything. _The entire world will be in yours if you let me give it to you." A voice grasped him from that feeling of momentary weightlessness and pleaded with him again. The feeling of hot breath against his cheek lulled him from that _terriblewonderfulmaddening _place that he had fallen into.

He tried to form words, but fatigue ran too deep for his mind to conjure anything remotely coherent. His body burned with a vengeance, his head ached and stung from the marks made before and his vision was filled with a molten gold.

"_Contract with me and it will be yours."_

Visions of pleasure and sin riveted through his head, words forming on his tongue as a satisfied smirk came into view with a soft sensation on his lips as he rasped –

"_**Yes."**_

And the dice were thrown again.


	2. Chapter 2

N/A: What am I doing. The characterization.. sob.

* * *

Naruto found them irritating.

He merely sat there, the murmuring of human essence and voices swaying around him as he closed his eyes and rested. He inhaled deeply, feeling the ghost of hands caress him again as he pulled back his emotions again. It was at times like these, where chaos was rampant, that it was difficult to tame them.

Voices and sounds made him wince, hearing sensitive, as they yelled and chorused their humor and attention to one another. He waited until order was made to relax his form, and even then he made no effort to move. Any other time he would play the part of the mischievous child, but he lacked the energy. He couldn't find it in himself to do it. He regretted coming here today.

"_You need the practice. You will be put in positions like this at some point, you realize. You need to learn to endure it, dear one." _The hiss of breath near his ears submitted him to his fate. He was in no position to argue with his master. Such would be a fruitless attempt, he had learned.

A voice requested his attention and with a breath his drew himself up and slew on his vizard. Internally he winced, a thousand needles piercing the body, but he held a sly and mischievous look as he smiled. Almost mockingly.

"Uzumaki Naruto, I take it that you were paying attention?"

"Of course, Iruka-sensei!" There was a rawness in his voice that made him grimace. It went unnoticed.

"Then can you explain to the class the purpose of the temporary alliance with Sunagakure during the Second Great Shinobi War?"

"Ah... Erm.."

"I thought as much. Do pay attention." A soft laughter echoed through the classroom before the teacher spoke again, and even then looks were still exchanged. He sighed softly, before trying to find a position to observe in that was slightly more tolerable. He focused on his breathing more than the lesson itself, regardless.

And it spanned on for hours, and without the occasional lesson change and work sheet thrown at them, he would not have noticed any change throughout the period. He wondered if people truly expected these students to be promising ninja. He wondered if they had any idea of what they were getting into.

That did not concern him, however.

And the mass departed; a boisterous and obnoxious sound erupting as they dispersed. He left as well, though with the inquiry concerning his health from his sensei following after him. He reassured him loudly, grinning with a promise of trouble, and vanished before his eyes.

The chattering and movement of humans alike swallowed his senses as he made his way from the village. He traveled blindly, only seeking sanctuary. It mattered not if he was in a forest or a training ground; so long as it was devoid of people, he would accept it.

He found himself rather in the seclusion of nature than back at his domain, taking time to peel blood covered clothing from his form and soaking the material in a nearby water source. The child – nearly a teenager – was thankful he hadn't bled through the layers of bandages and fabric beneath the bright jump suit. To get caught like that – everything would be ruined.

The feeling of skin brushing against his form made him glance back, meeting the golden visage of an angel. The man worked away the blood that covered him with a gentle touch, water and excess bandages melding with the blush of roses. He sighed contently, the sensations relaxing as he nuzzled back into the neck of the older being. His skin blistered and burned as the platinum blond gave affectionate strokes to the child, and was quickly treated and soothed with the icy liquid. Murmurs of a soft apology were breathed and returned.

It was moments like these that he cherished deeply. That would soon fade and he would fall back into a wave of lust and pain and training for the wish he had pledged to.

"_What is it you desire?" The aching pain and exhaustion made the words nothing more useless fragments of sound. If he had not been asked repeatedly prior, he may not have understood. _

_For a moment he considered his aspirations, what few he had, and tentative dreams he held dear. In soft and tired voice, he told him, "I want to be a ninja." That was the only thing he had ever wanted, the child knew. _

Naruto did not curse his naivety, or regret the decision – but bemoaned the torturous journey he had set himself upon in his spare moments. He did not mind it so much though, but there came the realization that he could never live a normal life anymore. That had been his choice, set in stone, but he wondered what it would have been like nevertheless.

Spilling hands and the curve of amused lips derailed his train of thought, letting the weight of excess Chakra be relieved from his body and letting the angel – _"Pharos, child." The younger blond gave Ido a curious look. "We are the reflective race to Demons. As flattering as your mythology is, it is not correct. Our lord granted us as a whole, the name Pharos. Do not forget." – _feed upon it. The blond was gracious enough not to touch his flesh, but to hover his palms over his skin, not further agitate his Chakra pores, lest his work go to waste.

His body was apparently in a fragile phase, going through changes according to slow alterations of DNA causing him to become vulnerable. Inflictions that would normally have no effect would leave him in a grieving pain. He had grown a heavy tolerance to it in his Master's care, but it left him weary and agitated with senses awry. Naruto bemoaned these periods all the same, but was utterly thankful he had not had to dealt with one as a ninja yet.

That would be the true challenge.

"I will reward you for your efforts." Hands wove through darker blond strands that only fell to the boy's shoulders, as the other spoke. "I cannot train you in this state. I will only force you to keep up appearances. Rest as you please, and do not strain yourself." And with a final breath, the man's physical form fell to ashes.

Time slipped past him, and he did not leave his sanctuary until hours after the interaction. He returned to the place he called "home" with little incident. He rested but could not sleep, for the biting pain of wounded flesh would not allow it. He came to class next day with a less enthusiastic attitude, which could be blamed on the dark circles under his eyes. It gave him an excuse to pretend to sleep all the same.

However, it was the test of their taijutsu that presented difficulty. Students were to be paired up with each other and forced to use a handful of techniques in a fight with another student. If the student failed to implement these moves in an actual fight, they would be docked points. These moves were taught a week prior and Iruka had requested that they practice them at home. There were other times that they were tested on moves they had learnt a while ago, as to make sure the students had not forgotten them. It was this way that slowly taught the academy style of taijustsu to students.

It was utilizing those moves in _combat _had been a nightmare from the beginning. He had discovered the difficulty of hiding one's training in fighting, when in a battle of any kind. Reworking your muscles to move in the incorrect manner that you had long beaten out of your system was nearly impossible. To be conscious of your muscle movements when the enemy is _attacking_ and then to move them in a way that would damage you? Difficult. It gave him an appreciation for the arts he had been taught, but it was arduous to act against muscle memory.

In this state he feared he would cause irreversible damage on his opponent if he could not control himself. If he was pushed in the wrong way, he could lash out and not realise what he would be doing. This state of vulnerability in front of any other opponent besides Ido, under any other situation, would not be tolerated. He was trained to kill them if so, the task engraved into his very being.

He sent a quick prayer to Erebus, vaguely recalling to which he learned of the being as the students were lead out unto the training ground they were assigned.

"_You have a master too?" The child sounded amazed with such a proclamation, as if such a thing were impossible._

_The man's lips fell into an amused smile, "In a sense, yes. We serve under his command, as he has created these forms we wear and took us under his very wing. It is for that each of us swear our alliance."_

_Ido added on an afterthought, "He does not dote on us, I as do you, but I must obey his commands as you do mine." The boy's eyes expressed a show of understanding and bemusement. _

"_So this guy.. Erebus? Would that would make him my... grand master? Or maybe great master?" And the elder blond chuckled and nodded affirmative. "Perhaps."_

_Despite the warmth of the moment, the man warned him, "But do not speak down upon him if you choose to refer to him. He keeps order in this realm, amongst the mortals, and has even more control over you than he does any others through the existence of our contract."_

"_I would never.."_

"_Good."_

And the memory faded from his mind's eye as the teacher called his name and paired him with the Inuzuka of their class. He caught odd looks from his lack of boisterous attitude, but feigned exhaustion and attempted to reassure them with a small show of excitement. Those students seemed appeased, and payed him little more concern – exempting a Hyuga girl who always seemed to notice him more than the others. He pitied the girl for a brief instant, and was drawn out into the field.

The two stood facing each other and set themselves in mirrored stances, grinning wildly as they waited for their cue. There was a shout and they were on each other in an instant, kicks and punches and finger nails doing as much damage in those first unrestrained moments as they could.

It was only after this to which they had enough sense to try the moves that this fight was _supposed _to exhibit. Basic punches were applied with a sweeping kick. They were focusing on swift combinations of movements, and Naruto was doing his best to barely move. The other boy moved at a pace that made his oncoming pain heavily anticipated, too slow.

The world turned white for a moment, his vision giving out and he could feel himself losing control of his body. Instinct reigned over him, swallowed him whole and drowned him in a sea of pain and blinding white. There was a quick strike before he regained control, but that was all he needed. Kiba howled in pain and fell back, recoiling with a sharp movement. Iruka stopped the fighting and saw to check on the inflicted wound.

The others were looking at him oddly. Some stunned, and others incredulous as if what they had just witnessed was a figment of their imagination.

He sighed in exasperation, trying to determine the mass of damage the other boy had inflicted on him.

He played the fool, uncertain what had happened and asking hesitantly if the other was alright. The incident smoothed over, but it never left the eyes of few. Uchiha Sasuke stared at the blond's turned back, puzzled and suspicious.

The rest of his time spent in the academy was crawling and the boy was ridden with paranoia, fearing the worst after his slip. He was never happier to have been freed from that place, a relief that he had never known falling upon him. He still felt anxious after the incident, despite his release.

Naruto managed to forget not much later under the glittering moonlight; lost in the burn of lust and addictive call of battle as he was broken and mangled for his benefit. As the larks wailed and cried in preparation for the long day ahead, he found himself relaxed, laying on a destroyed landscape. Pulses of pain came and passed, but he found himself feeling satisfied and calm.

"I needed that..." He murmured, and the translucent form of his contractor appeared amused.

"I wonder if you've become too dependent on it."

There was a twinge of regret, and he almost wished he could retract the statement. He would be deprived now, he knew, until the man was certain he had alienated any weakness.

They couldn't afford to be predictable, after all.

He glanced at the wreaked field in distaste, "They will inquire the origin of this, you realise?"

They boy looked disinterested, "They can inquire all they want. It matters not. There is no witnesses, nor evidence."

A shadow of satisfaction and pride flickered in golden orbs, along with the slow curve of a smile. Neither spoke as a cold wind rifled through the early morning, and the silence did not pause after. Until the sky was painted a bright collective of colors did they stay, and the man's visage vanished as if he had never been there to begin with.

Perhaps he hadn't, Naruto reflected absentmindedly, picking himself up from the remains of the training field. He did not bother to sigh, but an irked expression wormed it's way unto his face. His hands folded into a seal, and there was a flare of Chakra behind him. A murmur of words, and several bodies plummeted from the trees to the worn field, dead.

The charred remains of an ANBU mask stared at his receding back at the teen as he vanished, leaving a twirl of leaves in his wake.

One of the bodies twitched.


End file.
